ANTONELLA SALDO
Antonella Saldo is a senior Oil and Gas executive with over 25 years working experience. She began her career working for major international Traders (Trafigura and Glencore) managing supply and trading transactions and went on to manage a wide variety of investments in the downstream sector, including, but not limited to, Oil & Gas & Energy Project financing transactions, refinery refinancing transactions, storage facilities, expansion of jet fuel distribution networks, swap agreements to mention a few.
Having been based for over 15 years in Nigeria, Antonella has a matured unique in-depth experience in Business Operations, Commercial Transactions and Project Management in the Oil and Gas and Energy Sectors in West Africa.
With a strong track record of success behind her, Antonella is now pursuing entrepreneurial investments in the Food Ingredient Solutions sector specifically related to the production of pasta, offering technical services and manufacturing solutions to pasta manufacturers around the world.
Antonella holds a Law degree from the University of Genoa (Italy) and an MBA from Cranfield University (United Kingdom), as well as having undertaken a number of strategic specializations in project financing. If there was anything you could add to make GAIA even stronger, what will you like to add to it?
The GAIA concept has been thoroughly thought through and takes into consideration the universe of needs and desires that a club of women and for women should consider. It is difficult to say what else could be added as the offerings are so many. From art and cultural to business events for travelling and non-travelling women, dining, networking events, educational seminars, there seems to be everything for everybody.
Maybe we just wish to speed up the commissioning and opening of the GAIA Club House! Do you feel this project is something that can grow beyond Nigeria?
This is certainly the expectation and, in my view, growing beyond Nigeria will work in two ways; Women traveling to Nigeria for private or professional reasons will find in GAIA, a centre of support, a place to meet, network and also receive the required support for their professional objectives in Lagos and Nigeria.
On the other hand, GAIA women would like to find a GAIA club abroad as well, hence the expectation should be to see GAIA entering into partnership with other clubs which share GAIA’s values and principles. I believe this also is part of the strategy already. Why is the Business Dining Club important for women to attend?
The dining club is a well-organized reunion of women that want to share and support each other, have fun and meet new ladies with whom they can feel immediately at home with.
The nature and set up of the dinning club enables an immediate open, safe and friendly environment because we all participate not just for the single event, but for GAIA’s overall values. The dining club is not just dinner, but an opportunity to share ideas, support and advice each other as well as obviously, have fun.